1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recharging batteries of an electrical vehicle while parked at a predetermined parking station.
One disadvantage of using electrical vehicles is their limited range and the absence of convenient battery recharging stations. When convenient battery recharging stations are made available, the effective range of electric vehicles can be greatly increased. Assuming, for example, a workman, having an electric vehicle with a fifty mile range, lives some thirty-five miles from his workplace but to use his vehicle for transportation the batteries must be recharged. It is well known that proper recharging of storage batteries requires a considerable lapse of time, if, however, the vehicle could be recharged during the eight hours the workman is working then the electric vehicle will be a practical means of transportation. In order to provide such recharge stations an electric current vending apparatus is needed to dispense electrical energy as a function of power rather than a function of time. Such a system should provide the vehicle owner the option of purchasing electrical power in predetermined increments and be conventiently located and easily operated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior patents generally relate to onboard battery vehicle charging apparatus, however, U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,655 discloses a meter stand located adjacent a conventional filling station for recharging vehicle batteries. This patent features an electric outlet for connection with an onboard vehicle charging system in which the vehicle connector cord is locked to the electric outlet to insure payment for current used before the owner can disconnect the connector cord.
This invention is distinctive over this patent in that it provides a coin operated current dispensing meter in which the purchaser selects and prepays for the current to be used as a function of power and time in accordance with the estimated current needed to recharge the batteries of his vehicle.